The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has gone on strike in pursuit of livable working conditions and better streaming residuals, but they are facing resistance from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on the issue of regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in writers’ rooms.
The WGA has proposed that AI output should not be considered as writers’ work and that writers should not be required to adapt AI-generated content. However, the AMPTP refused to engage with this proposal and instead offered a yearly meeting to discuss “advances in technology.”
Comedy writer Adam Conover has emphasized that while AI may be useful in certain aspects of the production process, some parts of a writer’s job, such as working with other people and meeting with set decoration departments, cannot be replicated by AI.
However, comedian Yedoye Travis sees potential for AI in bouncing ideas around in a writers’ room, although he worries that studios will use it as an excuse to demand more from writers in a shorter period of time.
In addition to concerns about working conditions, writers are also advocating for the regulation of AI in entertainment due to the legal grey area surrounding AI-generated content and copyright ownership.
While AI technology is still in its rudimentary stage, Conover believes that the companies using it to undermine working conditions are the real issue. The strike by the WGA highlights the core issue of the people who power Hollywood not being paid their fair share.
As the debate over AI technology continues, it remains to be seen whether the WGA’s demands will be met, but the strike serves as a reminder that the people behind our favorite shows and movies deserve fair treatment and compensation.
